Residents are concerned the development will further limit affordable housing in East Liberty, which has seen a transformation in recent years with the addition of Google headquarters, restaurants, stores and luxury apartments.

The Penn Plaza Apartments provided housing to low-income residents, who were evicted.

Even though the preliminary plans were approved by the planning commission, the developer was not completely happy.

Developer LG Realty Advisors wants to build two 150-foot buildings, but the planning commission set the maximum height at 108 feet so it compliments nearby buildings, TribLIVE reported.

“I'm disappointed that the planning commission chose to make these kinds of changes and conditions, and candidly, I think it's inappropriate,” Lawrence Gumberg, president of LG Realty Advisors, told TribLIVE. “The zoning that was authorized by the (Pittsburgh) City Council provides for appropriate height limits. ... Our plan complied with the zoning in every aspect.”